Torchwood: A Fantasy
by Torchwood Tea Girl
Summary: Long ago, in an ancient kingdom, a group of renegades rose up to oppose the corrupt King and restore peace to the land. This is Torchwood, but unlikely anything you've read before. slight Torchwood/Doctor Who crossover
1. The New Torchwood Order

I'm back. Merry Christmas to all.

Here is my latest creation, something I'm really passionate about. Torchwood (and a bit of Doctor Who thrown in) in a fantasy setting. Prepare yourselves for swords, magic and mythical creatures rather than guns, time travels and aliens. Also, see if you can guess who some of the more interesting characters are based on (the King for example). Answers on a postcard.

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood, but if I did the third series would be longer than five episodes.

Couples will appear in the later chapters, but I won't reveal them yet. Well, apart from Jack and Ianto because it wouldn't be a good story without them together.

Allons-y!

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Chapter One – New Torchwood Order

"Sir Ianto, knight in training for the Circle of Torchwood, you have been found guilty of treason against our most noble King Harold. Do you have anything to say for yourself before your execution?"

Ianto looked up at the executioner in his black mask and the court official with his impassive expression, and he barely suppressed a grin. He couldn't have picked a better day for his public execution.

The clouds above were a stormy purple and hung dangerously low in the sky. Fat droplets of rain pummelled the townsfolk that had bothered to turn up and watch him die. The ground was little more than sludge beneath their feet. A very sombre mood slowly drifted over the small village that was partly due to the terrible weather and partly due to the oncoming death of one of their own.

Although he could see that the two men clearly wanted an answer, Ianto continued to pause to take in what would be his last view of the living world. From his platform, he could see the tiny house where he grew up. He could see the figures of his mother and father, blurred by the rain. He could see the stretch of forest not far from the village gates where he used to play with his childhood friends. He knew now why the King had sent him home to die; he wanted Ianto to see all this in his final moments.

Finally, Ianto looked up at the bringers of his demise and knew what his answer would be.

"Yeah, I do have something to say," he spoke clearly so everyone watching could hear him. "I may have failed to kill that bastard who calls himself our King, but there will be others to take my place. He will be stopped and his tyranny will come to an end!"

The executioner brutally kicked Ianto in his stomach, sending stars dancing across his vision.

"How dare you speak in such a way about our beloved King!" the official yelled, outraged by the prisoner's proclamation. "Prepare the noose!"

Ianto stayed deadly silent as he felt the circle of rope being slipped around his neck. He tugged once more at the ropes that fastened his hands together, but they were much too tight to simply pull off. Resigned to his inevitable fate, he held his head high and took a fearless step forward onto the trap door in the middle of the platform. He quickly scanned the audience, praying silently that his family had kept their promise to stay at home. For a moment, he caught the eye of a hooded figure that stood in the centre of the crowd, but as soon as he looked away the figure had vanished once more amongst the faces of the villagers.

"Let this be a lesson to all of you," the official cried above the growing gale. "Anyone who stands against our glorious King will meet the same fate as this foolish boy."

Ianto took a deep breath and closed his eyes, knowing what was coming next. He braced himself, waiting for the drop that would hopefully snap his neck and spare him the pain of suffocating to death. But it never came. Instead, there were several screams from somewhere below him and the sound of running through deep puddles.

He dared himself to reopen his eyes, but he could never have possibly guessed at the sight that was waiting for him. The crowd had dispersed and the village centre was now completely empty. The hooded figure that had been watching him in the crowd was standing mere feet away from Ianto. The bodies of the official and the executioner lay across the platform, their heads completely severed from their necks. Pools of thick, red blood were already spreading across the wooden planks, dripping through the cracks onto the ground below.

The figure suddenly threw back his hood, revealing a very handsome face that was besmirched by a long, white scar. It cut down the left side of his face, through his eye rendering it useless and blind, and stopped at the corner of his mouth. Thick matted hair framed his head along with the stubble of a growing beard, giving him a rugged, wild look. His eyes, however, were a startling contrast and shone like two blue jewels as he stared intensely at the younger man.

"How about you and me get out of here?" he asked with a surprisingly soft voice. He gave Ianto a sly smirk before twitching the broad sword that was clutched in his hand. A moment later, the noose and the bonds around Ianto's wrists were in tatters on the platform beside the dead bodies.

Rubbing the sore skin on his arms, Ianto eyed up the strange man suspiciously, taking in his long shabby cloak, the empty scabbard that was attached to his belt, the thick boots that were caked in many layers of mud. He certainly didn't look that trustworthy, but at least he looked a whole lot better than the knights Ianto had seen during this training.

"Who are you?" he asked, tentatively.

"Your guardian angel," replied the man, his smirk widening into a grin that was distorted by his scar. "And I just so happen to be a man who shares your beliefs when it comes to man who calls himself our King."

Ianto's eyes widened ever so slightly, but he quickly hid his shock behind a deadpan expression and a quirk of his eyebrow. He jerked his head with a nod before following the man down the steps and off of the platform. His own boots squelched in the thick mud as he tried to keep up with the longer strides of his saviour.

"Wait! Wait!" he cried, darting suddenly into a nearby doorway. He hoped the man had heard him, but didn't wait to find out.

"Ianto!"

He was immediately tackled by both of his parents. He would have hit the floor had the strange man not appeared in the doorway with a pair of steady hands.

"Oh, Ianto! You're alright!"

"Mother, please! Don't make a fuss!" Ianto all but whined as he tried to stop his mother hassling him while she checked for any injuries.

He reluctantly pulled himself away from his mother and father, and began to gather his meagre possessions together into a small bag. Pulling a thick cloak off of a hook on the wall, he wrapped it tightly around himself to ward off the rain that was still falling in sheets outside. Finally, he strapped a pair of thin, rapier-like swords to his belt and headed back to the door without looking at his family.

"Ianto, where are you going?" his father asked abruptly, glancing warily at the man in the doorway just as Ianto had done.

"Away," was the dismissive reply. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay here anymore. They'll come looking for me. They'll kill me and then they'll kill you."

"You're…leaving?" his mother murmured, tears already forming in her eyes.

Ianto reluctantly turned to the woman who'd taken such good care of him during his life and suddenly found himself close to tears as well. For a moment, he considered staying, but he knew that was no longer an option. Not if it put his parents in danger.

"Yes," he replied, taking her hands in his. "But only because I have to. Not because I want to."

He pulled her into a tight embrace, his heart breaking as he felt her sobbing into his shoulder. Glancing at his father, he gave him a fleeting smile that was instantly returned. Pulling back, he pressed a kiss on his mother's cheek that tasted salty from her tears.

"I love you," he whispered and then ran out of the door before he changed his mind.

Ianto didn't stop running until he was outside of the village and was hidden in the dark shadows of the forest that stretched all the way around the group of buildings. Gasping for breath, he quickly wiped away the stray tears that still remained on his pale face and waited for the strange man to catch up.

"We going then?" a voice suddenly materialised out of the darkness making Ianto jump.

The man appeared from behind a tree with another of his wicked grins.

Growling angrily, Ianto crossed his arms across his chest and asked, "So, what do I call you?"

"Captain Jack or Jack if you'd prefer. What about you?"

"Ianto. Just Ianto."

"Well, Ianto just Ianto, shall we head off?"

Ianto nodded and hoisted his bag just a little bit more securely onto his shoulder. They set off slowly through the closely grown trees, heading away from the town that had been Ianto's home since his birth just over twenty years ago.

"Where are we heading?" he finally dared to ask, glancing up at the face of the intimidating Captain.

Jack merely smiled back at him with a twinkle of mischief in his dark blue eyes.

"We are heading towards the primary meeting place of the New Torchwood Order," was all he said before striding purposefully forward into the oncoming night.

* * *

Sorry it's so short, but nevermind. I hope everyone enjoyed it and will keep reading. Reviews are always appreciated. Until next time...

PS. Anyone get the joke and guessed at the true identity of King Harold?


	2. The Hidden Hub

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! I hope you all have a fun night tonight and remember to drink responsibly. I, on the other hand, will be getting absolutely plastered!

Chapter two is finally here. I would have got it updated sooner, but I've had a busy Christmas period and this is the first time I've been able to sort it out. By the way, I've got the best Christmas present ever this year. I'm off to see John Barrowman, THE John Barrowman, live and in person, singing and everything! How awesome is that?

Righto. Onwards and upwards.

Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or Doctor Who, but if I did I would make sure the two crossover all the time.

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Chapter Two: The Hidden Hub

It was early morning by the time the two men reached their destination; a crumbling old abbey that had fallen into disuse and disrepair. There was no light shining through the stained glass windows and to anyone who didn't know better it looked abandoned. Yet, it was here that Jack led Ianto, passing through the massive wooden doors that served as the entrance into the holy sanctum.

The interior was in just as bad shape as the exterior. Only the alter at the far end of the building remained in tact. Everything else; the pews, the sacred statues, they had all become damaged and decayed from lack of use.

Jack silently waltzed over to the alter while Ianto watched in interest. Without having the think twice, the older man lifted a frayed rug at the base of the alter, revealing a hidden door built into the floorboards. The door, once opened, held a set of steps that sank beneath the abbey and into the darkness of the ground below.

"Come on then," encouraged Jack, waving at Ianto for him to come over.

Reluctant, but filled with youthful curiosity, Ianto did as he was told and descended down the steps with his heart in his throat. He could hear Jack just behind him, closing the door that rid them of the dawn's light and left them in darkness.

Together, they followed the stone stairs further and further downwards. It felt to Ianto as if they were travelling to the very centre of the world. The air around them became increasingly clammy and difficult to breathe in. A sheen of sweat began to cover the young man's skin as he wondered fervently where he was being taken. Was it possible that this man, Captain Jack, was actually one of the King's royal guards sent to deal him with the proper punishment for betrayal? Fear rose up inside his chest, clutching desperately at his rapidly beating heart and constricting his breathing. It didn't help that he was weary from walking and could feel the warm breath of the Captain on the back of his neck.

Light appeared so suddenly in the tunnel that Ianto physically stopped to stare at it just in case it was a trick of his mind. When Jack gently pushed him from behind, he lurched forward, off of the final step and onto the soft ground at the base of the tunnel. He blinked in the harsh glare of the two lamps that framed a small wooden door, which was barely distinguishable from the surrounding earthen walls.

"We're here," Jack told him, placing a large calloused hand on the younger man's shoulder. "You ready?"

Ianto was very tempted to ask 'ready for what?', but held his tongue as Jack knocked gently on the door. After a moment of silence, he could hear voices on the other side of the door and the scurrying of feet.

"Password?" a gruff voice called out.

"Tardis," Jack instantly replied in a cocky tone.

There was a loud click, and then the door swung open. A man, not much older than Ianto, stood in the doorway with a glare marring his young face. When he caught sight of Jack, his expression relaxed and the glare was replaced with a smirk.

"Took you long enough," he gripped, stepping back to let the two men past.

Ianto could feel his cold eyes watching him as he entered the underground room, clearly uneasy about his presence. Not that Ianto particularly cared. He was more engrossed with the massive cavern he'd just stepped into.

It was roughly the same size at the abbey above them, although much more cluttered and better kept. Sword, axes, spears and weapons of all kinds hung from the walls, a whole corner was dedicated to boxes filled with various foods and drinks as well as wooden table and chairs for meals, shining armour was piled up all over the floor ready for use, and beds lined another wall. Above them, the roots of trees hung from the ceiling, holding everything up so that they wouldn't all be crushed under a avalanche of earth and rocks. It was a perfectly hidden, well protected headquarters for whatever this group was.

Across the room, a woman with long curly hair and a friendly face was patiently sharpening a long sword. She looked up and shot Ianto a sceptical look before returning to her work.

"So, this is him then?" the man by the door asked as he made sure the lock that secured the entrance to this underground lair was in place once more. "The rebel that nearly killed the King?"

"Yep, this is him," replied Jack, his hand finding his way onto Ianto's shoulder as if protecting him from the doubtful comments. "This is Ianto, recently dismissed knight in training. Ianto, this is Owen and Suzie."

Ianto nodded a brief greeting to both of them in turn, reluctant to meet their disbelieving eyes for too long.

"Let me get this straight," said Suzie as she dropped the sword and walked over to them. "This boy, this mere child is the one who got passed all of the royal guards and managed to get within stabbing distance of His Royal Highness?" She scoffed and looked Ianto up and down. "The guards must be getting sloppy."

"Or he's just that good," countered Jack. "Believe it or not, but this is our man."

There was silence, and then Owen blurted out, "Prove it."

With a roll of his eyes, Jack waved his hands dismissively at them and stalked away to one of the beds, which sagged under his sudden weight.

Not entirely sure what was happening, Ianto glanced from Owen to Suzie with a questioning look until he saw Suzie pull a particularly large double edged blade down from the wall. He quickly shrugged off his bag and cloak before unsheathing both of his own swords. His eyes darkened when he heard Owen laugh at the light, thin blades that he gripped tightly in his hands, but he had no time to come up with a retort as Suzie had immediately lunged at him, swinging her sword with practised ease.

Their weapons clashed with a clang of metal on metal and they began the complex dance of swordplay. Both gave as good as they got, darting away from one another before flitting forward again. With one well timed feint, Suzie managed to knock Ianto to his knees and wasted no time in placing her blade against his neck.

Ianto gulped fearfully, feeling the sharp edge of the sword pressed against his skin. There was no way out of this situation. Suzie had him and she knew it. Her powerful stance and piercing eyes told him that much. This made him all the more shocked when she stepped back and held her free hand out to him.

"He's good," she said, directing the comment to Jack. "A little unrefined and clumsy at times, but I suppose that's to be expected if he's been training by the royal knights, bunch of lumbering idiots. A bit of help and he'll be a fine fighter."

"I'm glad you approve," replied Jack as he watched Suzie pull a clearly disorientated Ianto back up on his feet. "We only accept the best, after all."

Still pretty confused as to why he wasn't dead, Ianto smiled nervously as both Suzie and Owen shook his hand.

"Welcome to the team, Ianto," Jack said with that wicked grin of his before he relaxed back onto his bed and closed his eyes.

???

After a brief sleep and a tour around the underground headquarters, Ianto found himself seated at the table with the rest of the group, enjoying a warm stew as things were explained to him.

"We call ourselves the New Torchwood Order as a parody of the King Harold's royal knights, but we are nothing like the Circle of Torchwood. First of all, we don't serve the King and second of all, we protect the citizens of Gallifrey rather than terrorise them." Jack took several long gulps from his tankard of ale before continuing. "I myself used to be a royal guard for the late King, hence the title."

"And he won't bloody let us forget it!" Owen interrupted with a bark of a laugh. "All we ever hear is, 'The King and I used to do this, the King and I used to do that'."

"You were close to King John then?" Ianto asked in amazement.

"Oh, yes. I was his servant, but I was also his friend. We used to spend many a day travelling. Us and the Lady Rose." A look of melancholy crossed the Captain's face as he recalled his clearly happier past before it was hidden behind an expressionless mask. "Although, that was a long time ago and now we have an evil presence seated on the throne."

Owen, Suzie and Ianto nodded. They were too young to remember the passing away of the beloved King John and the appointment of King Harold in his place, but they knew the story. It was a tale that had been passed down by their parents. It was a tale of murder.

Eager to change the conversation, Ianto asked, "So, Captain Jack, how did you end up here then?"

"Well, once I learned of the new King's true nature I downright refused to take orders from him," replied Jack, a look of malice in his eyes. "He wanted me to become a General and lead his knights in a search for anyone that opposed him. When I declined his oh so generous offer, he threatened to have me executed so I fled the palace and took refuge here. This used to be the abbey's crypt until I had my way with it. After that, I began to recruit others who shared the same beliefs as I do. That the King is corrupt and must be overthrown." He finally managed to force out a smile to Owen and Suzie. "We're still only a small group, but we fight for what we believe in and that's all that matters."

"Yeah!" Owen agreed, punching the air in excitement while Suzie chuckled.

Ianto couldn't help but share their enthusiasm. It was infectious and soon a feeling of good will had settled over them.

"And what about you two?" Ianto asked as he sipped his drink. "Why did you join the New Torchwood Order?"

"My fiancé was murdered in a raid by the royal knights," Owen muttered, glaring into his drink. He raised his hand before Ianto could offer his condolences. "Don't bother with all that sorry for your loss nonsense. What's done is done. Anyway, Jack found me a few days later trying to help a family that had been badly injured in the same raid. He told me he had a better use for my healing hands so here I am."

He shot a grateful look over at Jack who returned it with one of his own.

"I grew up in the same village as Jack," Suzie told him, sliding her hand over Jack's in an friendly way. "I was told so many stories of the great man who'd come from such a tiny town and became a royal guard to the King himself. Apparently, he was a bit of a trouble maker; always getting into trouble, stealing food, playing the fool."

Jack laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess I was a different man back then. Didn't know what I wanted to do with my life."

"When he returned to the village after the new King came to power, he asked if anyone wanted to help him," Suzie continued. "To fight with him. I was the only one who joined him."

Nodding at this with a somewhat sad smile, Jack squeezed Suzie hand. He noticed that she seemed reluctant to meet his eyes, embarrassed by his affection for her.

"Right," he said, gathering together the empty bowls and tankards, and placed them to one side, ready to be cleaned later. "Bed, I think. You could all do with some sleep, especially you, Ianto."

The young swordsman began to complain that he was, in fact, fine, but was stopped by a particularly large yawn, which effectively ruined his argument. Resigned to the fact that he was actually quite tired, he trudged over to one of the empty beds and stripped to his under garments before slipping under the cotton bed sheets. He waited for the lights to be blown out, and then closed his heavy eyelids, succumbing to the bliss of sleep.

He was almost asleep when he felt a chill go down his spine. It was as if someone was staring at him through the darkness, but he couldn't be sure. When he looked up, the other three freedom fighters were all in bed. Their eyes were closed and each of them wore a peaceful expression upon their faces. Brushing the thought from his mind, he allowed his weariness to overcome him once more, but as he drifted into unconsciousness he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

???

In the very heart of Gallifrey, the Shining City stood proud as the capital of the illustrious kingdom. Here is where the royal castle houses the one man who rules over the surrounding towns and villages, and at this moment in time he was in a particularly foul mood.

His fury radiated off of him like fire. Anyone who stood in his way as he prowled through the castle was instantly killed with a wave of his golden staff. The reason for his anger came from the recent news that the man who'd tried to kill him, that insignificant fool who dared to oppose him, had escaped from his execution. Worse than that, he'd been rescued by none other than Captain Jack, the traitorous freak. There was only one way for him to quell his relentless rage.

He finally stopped in front of a closed door, growling in anger. The door flew off its hinges at his mere presence, slamming against the far wall inside the room.

"Rose!" he bellowed, his dark eyes scanning the bare room for the woman he'd been seeking out.

He found her in the same place she always was, chained by her wrists to the cold stone wall. She stared back at him in horror, thanking her good fortune that the door, which lay on the floor in splinters, had only just missed her.

At her side, a younger girl had her arms wrapped around Rose's waist. Her whole body quaked in fear as she felt the King's gaze rest on her before moving back to Rose. She tightened her grip around the chained woman and tried her best not to look into the hypnotic eyes of the evil man.

The King's glare turned into an almost inhuman leer as he approached the two girls. He leaned on his waist high staff while he sneered up at Rose's face and began to chuckle.

"Rose, my dear, may I have a word with you?" he politely asked, playing the part of the respectful King.

When Rose didn't reply, the King grabbed her by her chin and pulled her roughly forward, away from the wall. She was forcibly prised away from the girl, who scurried along the wall to the other side of them room in a desperate bid to get away from the frightening man.

"I'm talking to you, Rose," the King cooed softly into the woman's ear as she frantically tried to pull herself out of his grip, feeling repulsed by the sensation of his fingers on her skin. "Don't be so rude when you're in the presence of the King."

"You're no King of mine," she hissed back, her voice laced with pain.

"And you're clearly no servant of mine! Why didn't you kill that filthy, little boy? You are here to protect and serve me! You should have killed him!"

Rose fixed the King with her filthiest look as she answered, "I will never, ever kill for you!"

The King chuckled as he let her go, relishing her cry as her back hit the wall. He paced in front of her for a few minutes. The only sounds that could be heard in the room were the clang of his staff as it stuck the floor beneath him and the stifled sobs of the young girl in the corner. He suddenly raised his staff and shoved it under Rose's chin, forcing her head up at a painful angle.

The end of the staff, which was tipped with a clear crystal, began to glow a bright golden hue as soon as it touched Rose's pale flesh. She yelped in anguish, but was instantly silenced. Her eyes began to shine with the same golden light that spilled out of the crystal and her body became rigid and still.

"That's it," the King murmured, his glee clear on his face. "Release the Bad Wolf. Set her free."

"My King," said the Bad Wolf in a voice that sounded nothing like Rose's. It was distorted as if many voices were speaking at once.

"Use my proper name!" demanded the King, pressing his staff tighter against her neck.

"Master," the Bad Wolf complied, her eyes staring blankly forward. "What is your wish?"

"The boy. I want him dealt with." The King rubbed his chin thoughtfully with his free hand before continuing, "Although, perhaps death is too swift a punishment. I want him to suffer. Invade his mind. Find out where he is. The knights can retrieve him and bring him back here. I'll teach him to oppose me."

He chuckled again. The noise didn't affect the Bad Wolf in her current state, but it made the young girl cry out in fear. She knew from experience that this was a sound that preceded pain and often death.

"Oh, and one more thing," said the King, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at his prisoner. "Do something about that pest, Captain Jack. Kill them, decimate him…oh. I like that word. Decimate. Do whatever you want as long as he's gone."

"I cannot," was the Bad Wolf's simple response.

Startled, the King blinked before asking, "What?"

"I cannot," the Bad Wolf repeated.

"And why not?"

"He is protected."

"By whom?" the King inquired, his anger mounting.

"I am the Bad Wolf."

"But who…" He suddenly realised what the Bad Wolf meant. Lashing out at her, he smashed his staff into the side of her head. This broke whatever spell he had cast on her and left her unconscious, held up only by her chains with blood tickling down her cheek.

The King turned to leave and glanced briefly at the young girl. She continued to cower under his fearsome gaze, which brought the smallest of smiles back onto his face.

"I'll leave you to look after her, Princess," he said with a sneer. "She'd better be alive when I return or you'll meet the same fate as your weak, cowardly father. Understand?"

The Princess nodded furiously, her blonde hair stuck to her face with tears.

"Good."

With one last fleeting look at Rose, the King stalked out of the room. With one last wave of his long staff, he summoned a new door to replace the broken one, trapping the two women once more.

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Oooh! What will happen to poor Ianto? And what about Lady Rose? Can she survive the King's cruel treatment? Tune in to the next installment of Torchwood: A Fantasy.


	3. The Cyber Knights

Chapter Three. I had a few problems with this one so if it's not very good I'm sorry and I'll try harder next time.

Thank you all so much for the positive reviews. It really makes all my work feel worth while. Just to answer a few questions and queries:

Yes, King Harold is the Master (Harold...Harold Saxon. I thought it was a great joke at the time. Any guesses who King John is?).

As for the timeline (referring to EmeraldSnakes review), I didn't really think too much into it, but if I had to give things definite dates King Harold took over around fifteen years ago when the members of the New Torchwood Order were much younger. In that time, the king has asserted his power and dominance over the kingdom and small groups, like our heroes, have begun to form. I hope that clears things up a bit.

I won't give anything away regarding Jack, but things should be revealed by the end of this chapter.

Happy reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who, but if I did I would have the Doctor, the Master, Jack, Ianto and Owen chained up in my basement.

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Chapter Three: The Cyber Knights

Ianto woke up the following morning with a painful headache. He'd been plagued throughout the night by haunting dreams of a nameless woman with glowing eyes. She'd been inside his mind, probing through his memories and thoughts with little regard to the pain she was causing. The only thing she'd said to him were three simple words. Three words repeated over and over again.

"_I am sorry_."

So much anguish had been held in those words that Ianto had woken with tears streaming down his face. He hurriedly wiped them away in case anyone had seen him, but the sorrow still remained and continued to trouble him.

He ate his breakfast with the others in silence, only half listening to Jack. The Captain was explaining that they were waiting for the final member of their group to return before they headed out.

Owen had asked where they were going, which Jack had answered with a shrug. He said something about finding a friend of his who would point them in the right direction. This seemed to end the discussion, but neither Owen nor Suzie looked particularly satisfied with the vague response.

It was only when they heard the muffled sound of explosions far above them that Ianto snapped out of his daze. They all looked up as if they could see what was happening through the many layers of earth and rock, which separated them from the world above.

Jack pressed his finger to his lips, signalling them to keep quiet even though it was doubtful that anyone would be able to hear them. He headed towards the door, ignoring the pointed looks from everyone else, and stood with his ear pressed to the wood.

"Something's attacking the abbey," he finally murmured, just loud enough for the others to hear. He paused, his face screwed up in concentration, and then he jumped back in surprise with a yell of, "They're coming! They've found the entrance!"

Owen and Suzie immediately sprung into action. They each grabbed their own respective weapon; Suzie gripping the sword she'd fought with the day before while Owen favoured a long handled spear, and took defensive stances.

Ianto drew his own twin swords from their scabbards and took his place beside them. The only thing between them and door was Jack, who was already prepared with his own blade in his steady hands.

"Who are they?" Ianto asked, praying that no one had heard the tremble in his voice.

"If I'm wrong, then it's no one we can't handle," replied Jack, twisting around to show off a cocky grin, which didn't last for long. "If I'm right, then we've got a hard fight ahead of us."

A mighty bang at the door interrupted Jack and caused each and every member of the group to jump at the sudden sound. Another bang quickly followed it, shaking the door and the earthen wall around it quite violently. After a third bang, the door flew off of its hinges and hit the ground with a dull thump.

Ianto was totally unprepared for the three heavily armoured foes that approached them. After leaving the royal castle due to his dismissal, he never expected to see them again in his life time and he had been perfectly happy with that. He'd never wanted to see them again.

"We are the Cyber Knights," the knight in the centre announced, although it was pretty obvious who they were.

The Cyber Knights were known throughout Gallifrey as soulless killers who served only the King and no one else. Their shining silver armour was impenetrable and their fighting skills were superior to none. No one had ever seen their faces as they too were encased in a metal helmet, although it was a common belief that their eyes were cold and black.

Ianto had once wanted more than anything to become one of these knights. His head had been filled with the notions of gallantry and valour; protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. He hadn't known at the time that they were as corrupt as the King was. When he entered the training academy, these notions quickly slipped away as he watched his superiors go through gruelling, demoralising training that rid them of any and all emotions. They effectively became shells of their former selves in a metal casing. This was the reason why he'd tried to kill the King. He just couldn't bear seeing this happen anymore.

"You are all accused of plotting and treason against the King. You shall be taken back to the Shining City where you will be put on trial and judged for your crimes. Resistance is futile. Any attempt at escape will result in death."

There was no emotion in the voice of the Cyber Knight; nothing at all to suggest that he felt any remorse towards the group standing ahead of him.

"How did you find us?" Jack demanded, his sword still held firmly in his hands.

"Your question is irrelevant," one of the other Cyber Knights answered. "You will come with us."

"And what if we refuse?" Owen piped up from beside Ianto.

"Irrelevant," the third Cyber Knight replied. "You will come with us either alive or dead."

"Well, that clears thing up," Jack sneered. "Go with you willingly or as a corpse. What a choice."

"What do we do?" asked Ianto quietly so that the knights couldn't hear him. He eyed up their massive swords warily, doubting he'd even be able to pick one of them up let alone defend against it.

Jack stared at him before answering, "We fight," as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. Then he sprang forward with a terrible battle cry, which sounded more animalistic than human, and struck the central Cyber Knight square on its chest.

His sword barely left a mark on the thick armour and as he staggered backwards, he looked in disbelief at the knight.

"Okay. Didn't expect that," he admitted, taking up his previous stance even though he seemed less confident than before. "They're a little stronger than I remembered."

"You have chosen to resist. Therefore, you shall all die." The three Cyber Knights stood to attention in unison with their swords held up in front of their chests.

The knight in the centre lunged at Jack and their blades met with a deafening, metallic clang. Although the knight obviously outmatched Jack in strength, he was very slow and despite managing to force Jack backwards into the cavern, it was Jack who was getting all the blows in.

Jack used his speedy advantage to good use, but resembled nothing more than a fly buzzing around an annoyed beast. His sword may have struck the knight repeatedly, yet it didn't seem to be causing any damage other than making the knight more agitated.

"Ianto! Get down!"

The young swordsman barely had time to duck before he felt rather than saw a giant blade sweep over his head. One of the other knights had attempted to decapitate him and would have succeeded if Suzie hadn't warned him in time.

She was fighting the last of the knights with Owen and even with the two of them they were barely making a dent in the knight's silver armour. They each took it in turn to slice at the enemy, dealing him blow after blow, but to no avail.

Ianto ducked again as his knight swung his sword round in a circle in a second attempt to cut off his opponent's head. Pushing himself back up from a crouch, Ianto stabbed his blades forward in one motion and grimaced as vibrations from his swords striking the armour were sent back down his arms and into his chest. They left him feeling dazed and numb for a moment, giving the knight time to attack. Ianto was swept backwards onto the floor as the flat side of the knight's sword caught him across his side.

"How are we supposed to defeat these guys?" he thought he heard Owen yell above the commotion, but it could have been Jack.

He dodged to one side when a blade came flying at him and cut into the soft ground, barely missing him. As he took a quick breath of the stale air, he watched the knight struggle to remove his sword from where it was firmly lodged. It gave him enough time to struggle back to his feet and come up with a battle strategy. His mentors at the training academy had always commented on how strategic his mind was.

Something stirred in the back of his subconscious. A memory he'd forgotten was even there. Perhaps it was the strange dream that had released it from the back of his mind, he didn't know, but it was certainly there now.

"Aim for the helmet!" he ordered as the image of one of the knights falling to the ground with his head, still encased in the helmet, rolling away from him. That knight had never gotten up again. "Remove their heads!"

"Easier said than done," Suzie replied as she tried to do what he said.

But she never got that far. Distracted by Ianto's cry, she didn't notice that the knight had thrust his sword forward until it had vanished into her skin, right in the centre of her chest, and had reappeared through her back. She let out a startled gurgle before the knight flung her limp body to one side like a discarded toy.

"Suzie!" Owen yelled. He'd been too involved in his attack on the knight's exposed back to stop what had happened. "No! Suzie!"

In his anger, he lifted up his spear and jabbed it into the space where the knight's helmet met the body armour, twisting the pole as he did. He didn't care when the helmet was forcibly levered up into the air before it came plummeting back down to the ground with a clunk. He didn't even notice that the knight had collapsed and was no longer moving. All he cared about was getting to Suzie who was laid very still in a growing puddle of her own blood.

Ianto had just swung his swords around in a windmill-like fashion, effectively removing the head and helmet of his knight as well when he saw Suzie fallen form. He couldn't quite comprehend what had happened.

Jack too was standing in stunned silence, staring blankly at the bodied body of his close friend. He'd apparently forgotten about the knight he'd been facing and, therefore, was unable to prevent the huge blade from plunging into him and slicing a long, cruel line down his back. His eyes truly went blank then as, he too, sank to the ground.

Before the final knight could made another move, Ianto rendered him useless with a well timed swipe of his swords. Finally, the three knights were defeated, but at the cost of two of their group.

"What do we do?" Ianto asked, his whole body quivering at the sight of so much blood. "Owen, what do we do?"

The healer didn't answer. His hands were pressed against Suzie's gaping wound in a desperate attempt to stem the flow of blood, but he knew it was pointless. Suzie had died several minutes beforehand and nothing was going to bring her back.

Ianto knelt down next to Jack's equally lifeless body. The Captain looked so peaceful that he could have simply been asleep if it weren't for the copious amount of crimson blood blossoming from the cut along his spine.

"You saved me," Ianto murmured as he closed Jack's eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for you."

He wiped away a stray tear that had fallen for the deceased Captain and was about to go comfort Owen when Jack suddenly moved. He jumped back as Jack took a deep, gasping breath and rolled over onto his back. His cool blue eyes met Ianto's frightened ones and he managed a small smile.

"But…but…you were dead," spluttered Ianto, backing away from the supposedly dead man. "You were dead."

"Yeah," Jack replied nonchalantly, grimacing in pain as he rose to his feet with the younger man's help. "That's the thing about me. I never really stay dead."

"I don't understand. How…how are…how…"

"I'll explain later," Jack interrupted, already kneeling beside Suzie and Owen. "Is she…?"

He didn't need to finish his sentence. Owen knew what he was going to say and nodded sadly. He closed Suzie's eyes and tenderly stroked a few strands of hair away from her face. When Jack wrapped an arm around his shoulders, he didn't move. He just continued to stare at the body of his deceased friend.

"Come on." Jack's voice cut through the silence like a knife. "We have to go before more arrive."

With his arm still around Owen, he pulled them both up and away from Suzie. He quickly gave Ianto a few instructions to gather as much food as possible before he began to rifle through the piles of armour. It didn't take either of them long to fill several bags full of supplies that they'd need where ever their journey took them.

Owen had quickly come out of his daze when he noticed movement around him and, although he didn't help either men with their jobs, he too began to look for something in the cavernous room. By the time that Jack and Ianto were ready to leave, he seemed satisfied with what he had done and led the other two out of the underground base.

Even if it didn't bring her back, he was pleased with the makeshift tombstone he'd erected for Suzie made out of her faithful sword, which would show anyone who found her that she had died proudly in battle and would never be forgotten.

* * *

I'm so bad at battle scenes. Please ignore the crappiness of this chapter.

At last we see the metallic faces of the King's knights (Cyber Knights, remind you of anyone?). Also, I'm not sure if it was completely clear, but the knights were able to find the secet hideout because the Bad Wolf took the information from Ianto's mind. That was what the dream at the beginning was all about.

Just to let you know, I do actually like Suzie. She was a cool character, but I wanted there to be a death to mark the power and the cold heartedness of the knights. It had to be her, but at least she died a hero's death rather than the indignified one she had in the first series of Torchwood.

That's all for now. See you next time. Please keep sending in reviews.


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